Drew Barrymore and Eddie Murphy are, apparently, the most overpaid movie stars in Hollywood...
You might have seen this list in previous years, where Forbes takes the names on its Celebrity 100 list that it produces every year, and cross references it with the earnings of the movie stars on it from their last three pictures. Add in box office data and a few other numbers, and in theory, you get a list of how much per dollar said actors generate.
It’s a flawed list, of course, because if you’re not deemed by Forbes to be worthy of Celebrity 100 status (we can’t think of anything worse ourselves), then you don’t count. But the numbers are interesting, nonetheless.
It seems that Drew Barrymore, though, who tops the list, is being penalised for not making too many films. Her return of investment figure here includes a film she made back in 2007. It also overlooks the fact that her directorial debut, Whip It!, was exceptionally good, and worth many, many Sex And The City movies in terms of sheer quality. If she'd have made the latter, though, then it seems she'd have fared better. Sigh.
Still, here’s the line up.
1 Drew Barrymore ($0.40 return per dollar)
2 Eddie Murphy ($2.70, although that’ll get better after Tower Heist. Animated movies aren’t included, incidentally)
3 Will Ferrell ($3.50)
4 Reese Witherspoon ($3.55)
5 Denzel Washington ($4.25)
6 Nicolas Cage ($4.40, but expect him to be higher up the list next year)
7 Adam Sandler ($5.20)
= Vince Vaughn ($5.20)
9 Tom Cruise ($6.35)
10 Nicole Kidman ($6.70)
It all seems far from definitive, and we’d have thought that a five dollar return per dollar invested really isn’t bad. Hence, the lower part of the list seem in good shape.
And if Drew Barrymore keeps directing movies, we’re happy to keep paying to see them…
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